Good News in Pennsylvania Technology…and Beyond
Ag Tech, Data Center Employment, and Some Civic Pride
CBS Sunday Morning Focuses on Philly: On Sunday, August 30th Philadelphia was the centerpiece of CBS Sunday Morning’s “by DESIGN” series. The program had a heavy focus on Philly, including features on Longwood Gardens, pretzels, Philly cheesesteaks, architect Frank Furness, and our history. And yes, the Rocky statue makes an appearance. As boosters of our region the episode was a pleasure to watch, which is exactly what you can do here.
Let’s move on to some good news in Pennsylvania tech. And if you’d like to catch up on previous editions of our series on all the positive development in our region’s technology sector you can do so here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
Robotics Boosts Agriculture: As with most industries, technology is completely transforming agriculture. We recently had a conversation with a farmer that has a device that bolts on to the bottom of his tractor that can read between healthy crop growth and weeds, instantly killing the weeds with a laser. He also utilizes tech that confirms that he maintains a straight path while fertilizing each row, so he doesn’t “double dose” or miss a few inches. Obviously, all this is supported by data centers.
Robotics is a big part of the trend. Penn State recently hosted World FIRA: The Ag Robotics Forum, as part of the university’s Ag Progress Days. The events took place at the Russell E Larson Agricultural Center near State College. This is the first time this global event has been held on the east coast of the US. 14 robotics firms presented products and technologies including Philadelphia-based Burro, which showcased the Grande 44, an autonomous work platform that can tow 6,000 pounds, transport 1500 pounds, and both mow and spray using attachments.
Data Centers Supercharge Construction Employment: Obviously data center construction is a hot button issue in the Commonwealth right now, and some of the economic benefits of the larger AI-oriented facilities seem to be getting lost in the argument. Pennsylvania’s Boilermakers Local 154 union has gone from zero apprentices for a recent four-year period (not a misprint, there were none at all) to a class of over 200 this year thanks to data center construction. According to union official Shawn Steffee they need even more workers to build and maintain the power infrastructure of data centers.
We strongly believe that every data centershould be designed, built and operated in a way that is a net positive to local communities and utility ratepayers. Clearly the tangible economic benefits of data centers are a part of that and deserve a fair hearing in the debate.